First Look at the Nokia 8

Gulf Insider went to Park Hyatt Dubai to check out the new Nokia 8 phone!

I’m not one to get excited about new technology. (I’ve been given an Ipad, a Zune, and a Kindle fire by kind folks who thought I would be excited—but I’m just not).

I’ve always said all I need is a laptop and an internet connection—that is, until I found I needed a camera, for all those unique moments that I just have to take a snapshot of. However, I don’t want to be carrying too many things around, (some people I know have 2 or 3 phones—how do they keep track of their technology?), and was hoping I could get a high quality camera in a phone so I can save space in my bag.

Et voila! The new Nokia 8 is the answer to my prayers. Slim, sleek, and tech-savvy, my heart literally skipped a beat when I opened my box and found the phone inside. Looks-wise, this phone is tops! Crafted from a single piece of aluminium, the color a slate metallic blue with a minimalist design, it’s definitely an accessory piece.

The tech guys at the office scrutinized the phone and said the Zeiss camera that it has, has one of the sharpest, clearest cameras ever. And indeed, I can take photos from the phone in dim light, artificial light, or even outside and the photos come out looking good. Not only that, you can take photos and videos from two perspectives—the cameraman, and the actor’s, a trend that Nokia calls the “bothie”. They believe that this is a revolution in storytelling and will change the way that we take photos and videos.

The Nokia 8 is the first Nokia Android making it cleaner, safer, and faster. You get the bare minimum of apps, so you can pick and choose which ones work for you and your lifestyle. The battery lasts for a long time, so you don’t get stuck at odd moments with your phone battery dead or dying. Its functional, it’s slim, and it’s fast. Three things you want your phone to be.

Nokia has always been a nostalgic brand for me. I’ve had a Nokia 3210 and a 3310 in my teens, and I had fun with the Technicolor displays, touch pad phones that beeped loudly when there are text messages, and playing Snake on the phone when boredom strikes. I’m glad this tech standby has decided to make phones again and I look forward to what they will offer in the future—though I’m definitely not buying—this baby will last me for a long time.

*HMD Global sponsored my trip to Dubai to get my new Nokia 8 phone ahead of retail sales in Dubai and Saudi.

The 8 will hit Bahrain stores in the coming months and will retail for BHD 184.